Loved you for a Thousand Years
by Crowfeather's girl
Summary: Dean and Cas meet when Dean moves into the apartment across from Castiel's. Roof's almost connecting, windows facing each other, a strong bond forms between the two as they gain each others friendship. Destiel AU Dean/Cas and Sam/Jess pairing
1. Chapter 1

The smell of a clean house hung in the air as Castiel Novak watched three people unload boxes off the end of a Red pickup. A shiny black Impala was parked in the spot next to Castiel's car and he peered out the window of his small apartment, cup of coffee in hand. He watched as two men hauled boxes up the stairs, followed by a blonde woman. Castiel followed the three with minor curiosity.

The apartment next door to his had finally been sold after months of being empty. The last family that had lived there were plesant people, a husband and wife married for ten years going by the names of Michelle and Brady Milton. Castiel had gotten to know them well and was invited over for dinner some nights. That all ended abruptly when Brady died six months ago from a heart attack.

They were the closest thing Castiel had to family at that point. Michelle had moved out, moved away and was never heard from again. That was what hurt the most. Castiel knew she was upset, knew she was crushed and hurting, but she up and left without a word. She was more of a mother to him than anything. All the little things about her spoke volumes. The way she twirled her hair when she spoke or how much milk she liked in her coffee. She always had paper with her, and small dainty glasses sat on her face at all times.

Castiel smiled at that as he remembered her, pen poised over the paper as she tried to write something down. Something she had been wanting to write for a while now, but the words didn't come. She could see it plain as day in her head, but putting it out on paper was the hardest thing for her to do. Brady always made fun of her for this, mainly because the way her face would scrunch up. The way her eyes squinted as she peered at the paper, hoping the words would appear. Or when she was viciously scribbling in her journal and her curly brown hair fell in her face.

Castiel's blue eyes flickered to the apartment across from his once more and he watched the people inside as they laughed and joked, eyes trained particularly on the woman and the tallest man. His hair came to about his ears, but you could see the makings of a mane coming on if he grew it out just enough. He looked young, in his early twenties at least. Not older than twenty five, no younger than twenty.

He looked lovengly at the woman beside him, arm twisting around her as he pulled her in for a hug. They faced a older man, he was shorter of the two, but he looked like he could knock him out of he needed too. Castiel's eyes trained on him now, eyes wandering over his body.

He felt something short of creep watching the three of them, eyes wandering the third person's body as he talked. His brown hair was tousled in a complete mess, green eyes shining as he aimed a small, weak punch at his brother. He wore a brown keather njacket, which he began to strip off as he settled. The other two didn't move to settle, instead pulling him into a hug, lips moving, forming words Castiel couldn't make out.

The woman rolled her eyes, head tipping back with laughter at something one of them said, hands clapping to her mouth as she pulled him into another hug. The two left shortly after that and Castiel tore his eyes away, turning away, pushing himself against the wall, head tipping back into the wall.

His eyes looked around the apartment. He had been living in the same building for five years now. It had been the perfect get away. The perfect hide out. A way to escape his mothers death and his father's rage, his sisters perstering questions on his sexuality and the pressures of school.

Cool air flowed through the old creaky window, a slight shiver wracking his body. His hands fidgeted by his side as he slowly licked his lips, moving to pick his coffee up once more when a high pitched shriek stopped him.

"This thing needs to be oiled." came a rough voice faintly. Cas turned his head, wind washing over the left side of his face as he looked out the window. The shorter man was messing with the window, testing it. The hinges emitted high pitched squeals, causing Castiel to flinch slightly as the man frowned, looking up. His face lit up slightly as he spotted Castiel.

"Hey there." he called slightly. Castiel turned, placing both palms on the windowsill as he looked at Dean. The faint sunlight teased the man's skin color as he leaned out the window, trying to get a better look at Castiel. His hair was tossed and tousled in a style that suited the man, not looking to neat and orderly yet not to messy.

"Name's Dean." he said after a moment and Castiel's blue eyes met Dean's. A warm feeling coursed through him, weakening his knees and drying his mouth.

"Welcome to the neighborhood!" Castiel managed to call back, giving Dean a small smile. Their windows were no more than a few feet apart and Castiel could see the part of his roof that almost joined Dean's. It was low hanging, a place Castiel sat to clear his head sometimes.

"I'm Castiel." he held his hand out, reaching out the window. Dean did the same, fingers locking in some sort of handshake. Castiel flinched slightly as he took his hand. Dean jumped slightly also, alarm in his eyes as he looked back up.

"Musta got an electric shock." Dean said as they let go, a small chuckle sounding from his lips.

"You're..Alone?" Castiel asked tentively, looking behind Dean who nodded.

"Just me, myself and I." he said, waving his arms slightly. He slowly put them down, an odd look crossing his face as he relaized what he said. He was alone.

"Look," He said rather quickly. "I have some unpacking to do still. I'll talk to you later." Cas nodded and said his goodbyes before pulling the window shut. He didn't move as Dean walked away, watching as he opened the first box, bottle of beer in one hand, box cutter in another.

He pulled little trinkets from one box, followed by a few shirts and a photo album. He didn't have many things, but enough that they would make the apartment look complete. Castiel watched a moment longer before turning away, snatching his car keys up and reaching for his coat.

Dean was like Castiel. Alone.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean had been living in the apartment for two weeks now. He had settled in quickly and kept to himself mostly. Castiel spent most evenings talking to him from the window long after the sun had gone down. Those evenings by the window were the highlight of Castiel's night. They would talk about local news or some kind of sport. Castiel would talk about his love of writing while Dean would go on about his favorite sports team.

Castiel watched the light in Dean's eyes twinkle when Castiel mentioned something about his favorite dessert, pie and Dean would chuckle when Castiel's eyes glazed over from thinking of the things he could write or characters he could make.

Castiel couldn't deny the spark of warmth he got whenever he looked at Dean or how weak at the knees he would get when Dea threw a smile his way, but he didn't want to get his hopes up and had started to shorten their nightly meetings to the point where he wouldn't even open his window. Getting his hopes up for someone like Dean, who looked straight as an arrow, was a horrible idea in Castiel's book and he prefered not to go down that street.

Yet, one night around the time they usually talked, Castiel heard a tinking sound against his window. He got up, watching the window as the sound repeated. Staring at the window with curiosity, he opened it, a pebble flying through the open window a split second later, bouncing off the wall.

"Hey there princess!" Dean called, hand full of pebbles. Castiel couldn't help but smile at him as he leaned over the window sill. His hair was damp, beads of water running down his neck and into his white shirt.

"Why don't you put your pens and paper away." he said, offering him a bright smile. "Come have some coffee with me." he nodded his head towards his apartment. Castiel smiled.

"I have a better idea."

That night Castiel had shown him how to get onto the roof. Dean watched as Castiel crawled from his window, carefully inching his way up. He then hoisted himself up unto the low hanging roof, beaming down at Dean as he sat down.

"Your turn." He called down, watching Dean hesitate. "Don't tell me you're scared." Castiel called down, a laugh bubbling at his lips as he watched Dean. Dean shook his head, determination lighting his eyes now as he braced his hands around the outer edges of the window.

"I can climb out a window!" Dean huffed, letting out a slight groan as he pulled himself out the window. He flashed Castiel his trade mark half smile before pulling himself up, the muscles in his arms flexing as he found his footing, fingers gripping the edge of the roof.

"I don't see why you're smirkin." Dean grumbled, pulling himself up with a groan. Castiel laughed again, watching him slither up, trying desperately to balance himself as his legs kicked at the air.

"Told you I could." Dean settled beside Castiel as he pulled himself up, breath coming in a few heavy pants as he did so, something that drove Castiel crazy. Dean stretched his arms back, placing his palms flat on the roof as he looked around, whistling as he took in the scenery. Street lights beamed down, lights from houses shone. Sillouetts of people in their houses could be seen.

"Just your little corner of the Universe, huh." Dean murmured, bowing his head a moment before casting a look Castiel's way.

"It's quiet up here. I come here to think." he admitted, hands fidgeting with a shingle as he looked around. The wind was chilly, cutting at his skin like sharp knives. They were quiet for a while, just drinking in the silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Cas, here's a question." Dean said suddenly, snapping Castiel from his thoughts. Dean had come up with that nickname for Castiel one night during their late night meetings over coffee. He thought the nickname was ideal for him.

"Sure, Dean." Cas chuckled. His questions were always interesting in a sense. He felt Dean shift beside him, folding his hands in his lap like a first grader. Castiel raised an eyebrow at him, which he knew Dean wouldn't see due to the lack of light.

"You're always alone," Dean started. "Don't you have a girlfriend or anything?" he asked slowly, as if he was carefully choosing his words before he said anything. Castiel froze, heart dropping.

"I mean, you're always alone man. You don't even own a cat." Dean chuckled.

"No," he said after a minute, voice shaky. "I'm not...Straight." he said slowly, thinking of a better way to tell him. Most men weren't exactly good at handling this information, but Castiel didn't know how to handle this situation delicately so he just laid everything out on the table for Dean. He fully expected Dean to cringe away, go back to his apartment and never try to contact him again.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Dean whispered softly, running a hand through his hair, breath blowing over Castiel's neck and sending shivers down his spine.

"No." Castiel said firmly. "But you're always alone too." he pointed out. Dean never came home with woman, no one was constantly calling or blowing up his phone. No one ever cam to his apartment except Castiel and his brother, Sam. He would bring his girlfriend, Jess, with him sometimes.

Dean sucked in a breath, leaning back fully on his palms now as he looked at the sky. "I'm not straight either." he came right out and said it, a little laugh rumbling in his chest as he felt Cas tense.

"But it's not a bad thing." He said, getting up slowly, arms wrapping around Castiel. Cas felt his heart stop once more as Dean's long, strong arms began to snake around his waist, pulling him closer to him.

"Come on, Angel. Nothing wrong." he cooed, hands roaming Castiel's back now as his lips ghosted across his neck, kissing skin there softly. Castiel's mouth went dry, body trembling as he finally responded to Dean.

"It's not bad," he pressed a small kiss to the edge of Castiel's jaw. "That I like you and that you like me." he said softly, cupping Castiel's chin in his hand. Cas gulped. Dean had seen right through him.

"You don't have to be scared." he said gently, running a thumb over Castiel's lower lip. Dean knew everything that was to know about Castiel. How his mother died, how his father threw him out, and why he loved to write so much.

"Dean." Castiel murmured, voice rasping in his throat.

"Shh." Dean said, mouth at his neck once more as he climbed over him, bracing a leg on either side of Castiel as he gently straddled him, chin still cupped in his hand as he brought his mouth back up.

"You write happy endings for people who don't exist, but you never make sure you are happy." Dean finally said before bringing his mouth to Castiel's gently, giving him just the slightest bit of pressure he possibly could.

As soon as their lips connected, Cas felt a jolt, as if a volt of electricity had been shot through him. It left him stung and wanting more. He kissed back, hands finding the back of Dean's neck blindly as he deepened the kiss, pulling Dean down with him. Dean's chest was pressed flush against Cas, his body molding against his own as they writhed together, limbs entangling as they kissed.

"Cas." Dean whispered, hands grasping him as he went to kiss him again. Castiel broke away, flat on his back, gasping for air as Dean made to assault his mouth once more.

"I never said it was bad," he rasped, hands grasping the collars of Dean's jacket as he pulled Dean closer, his tongue assaulting Dean's mouth now as Dean moaned, each sound swallowed up by Cas.

"From the day I moved in," Dean whispered. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. Everything I did, everything I thought, I would look out my window and think of you and that five minute conversation we had." he panted, looking into Castiel's eyes now, breath hot on his face.

"I knew I needed you from the moment I set eyes on you." Dean whispered. Somewhere in the back of Castiel's mind, he had registered the look on Dean's face from the first time they had shook hands.

As Castiel pulled him back down again, he pressed a long, loving kiss to Dean's lips.

"I need you too." he whispered.


End file.
